Prefabricated structural wall system

ABSTRACT

A prefabricated wall panel is provided. The wall panel has a sheathing having a first edge parallel to a long dimension and a plurality of spaced-apart molded studs. The studs are secured to the sheathing parallel to the first edge of the sheathing with tops of the studs positioned below a top edge of the sheathing for installation of a seal plate across the tops of the studs. The studs include an outer stud secured to the first edge of the sheathing and extends beyond the first edge by about one-half of the width of the outer stud.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a prefabricated wall system for use in the construction of buildings.

Current insulated building walls are generally built by cutting and erecting the structural framework to provide suitable load carrying characteristics. Next, sheathing is applied to the outside. The builder may also have been supplied with twisted or out of square material that may then be used improperly or be discarded. Thus, constructing insulated building wall is labor intensive, costing time and money, and may entail wasted material and added work.

As can be seen, there is a need for a more efficient method of constructing insulated walls.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a prefabricated wall panel comprises a sheathing having a first edge parallel to a long dimension; and a plurality of spaced-apart molded studs secured to the sheathing parallel to the first edge of the sheathing with tops of the studs positioned below a top edge of the sheathing; the plurality of studs including an outer stud secured to the first edge of the sheathing and extending beyond the first edge by about one-half of the width of the outer stud.

In another aspect of the present invention, a prefabricated structural wall system comprises a straight wall panel comprising a first sheathing having a first edge parallel to a long dimension and a set of spaced-apart molded first studs secured to the first sheathing parallel to the first edge of the first sheathing with tops of the first studs positioned below a top edge of the first sheathing, the plurality of first studs including an outer stud secured to the first edge of the first sheathing and extends beyond the first edge by about one-half of the width of the outer stud; an inside corner panel, comprising a second sheathing having a first edge parallel to a long dimension and a set of spaced-apart molded second studs secured to the second sheathing parallel to the first edge of the second sheathing with tops of the second studs positioned below a top edge of the second sheathing, including three studs positioned side by side at one end of the second sheathing and a fourth stud secured to the back of the second sheathing and to the three studs, the fourth stud extending laterally away from an inside wall of the second sheathing at approximately 90 degrees; and an outside corner panel, comprising a third sheathing having a first edge parallel to a long dimension and a set of spaced-apart molded third studs secured to the third sheathing parallel to the first edge of the third sheathing with tops of the third studs positioned below a top edge of the third sheathing, the set of third studs including three studs positioned side by side at one end of the third sheathing and a fourth stud secured to the back of the third sheathing and to the three studs, the fourth stud extending laterally away from an outside wall of the third sheathing at approximately 90 degrees.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a prefabricated wall system of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial section view of the prefabricated wall system taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the prefabricated wall system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a straight wall section of the prefabricated wall system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a left side view of the straight wall section of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the straight wall section of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a right side view of the straight wall section of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a top view of an inside corner wall section of the prefabricated wall system of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 9 is a top view of an outside corner wall section of the prefabricated wall system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention generally provides a prefabricated structural wall system 10 for use in the construction of buildings.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, an embodiment of the wall system 10 of the present invention may include prefabricated panels 12, 14, 16 that may be assembled together to form the walls of a building on a substructure 18. Each panel 12, 14, 16, may be fabricated from a molded composited material 20 and include spaced-apart framing, generally identified in the FIGs. as 22, with sheathing 24 attached to the framing 22. The sheathing 24 may be fabricated from composite flake board, plywood, or other laminated or molded product about ¼ inch to about one inch thick. The outside surface of the sheathing 24 may be left plain or may be embossed at the factory with any desirable texture, pattern, or design 28, such as brick, stone, wood, or the like. A press may be used to form inside and outside designs 28 in the exposed surfaces of the sheathing 24. The outside surface may also be coated with a water repellant paint in any desirable color. The sheathing 24 may have standard dimensions, such as about four feet wide by about eight to nine feet high.

As part of the framing 22, studs 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D may also have standard cross-sectional dimensions, such as about 2×4 inches (nominal) or about 2×6 inches (nominal) and be about 94⅛ inches long. The studs 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D may be integrally molded with the sheathing 24 parallel to the long dimension (height) of the sheathing 24 and provide a load-bearing framework. The studs 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D may be manufactured with a series of holes 30 running horizontally at correct heights to meet code for electrical, plumbing, and other runs.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, a straight wall panel 12 may include an outer stud 22A molded to one of the outer edges of the sheathing 24 and extending laterally beyond the edge of the sheathing by about ½ of the width of the outer stud 22A. Additional inner studs 22B may be located parallel to the outer stud 22A, such as on 16-inch centers as in conventional construction. The top of each stud 22A, 22B may be located about three inches from the top edge of the sheathing 24 to allow for a horizontal seal plate across the tops of the studs 22A, 22B to be added by the builder on the construction site. Also part of the framing 22, horizontal bottom seal plates may join the studs 22A, 22B and have corner blend radii 32 at the joints.

Left and right inside corner panels 14 (FIG. 8) and outside corner wall panels 16 (FIG. 9) may also be fabricated. For an inside corner panel 14, one side of the sheathing 24 may have the equivalent of four conventional finished 2×4 or 2×6 studs 22C. Three studs may be positioned side by side at one end, making a 6×4 or 8×6, and a fourth may be attached to the back of the sheathing of the panel 14 and to the other three studs, extending laterally away from the inside wall at approximately 90 degrees. The outside corner of the fourth stud may turn laterally inwards to the inside wall. Additional inner studs 22B may be secured to the sheath as with a straight wall panel 12. An outside corner panel 16 may be fabricated in a similar fashion the equivalent of four conventional finished 2×4 or 2×6 studs 22D but with the fourth stud extending laterally away from the outside wall at approximately 90 degrees.

Horizontal under slung sheathing 26 may be part of the sheathing 24 or be attached to the bottom of the framing 22. As illustrated in FIG. 6, one edge of the sheathing 24 and under slung sheathing 26 may begin short of the opposite outer edge of the first stud 22A by about ½ of the stud's width. The opposite outer edge of the sheathing 24 and under slug sheathing 26 may be left without any studding to permit each panel to partially overlap the first stud 22A of the previous panel and be secured together.

To assemble the wall system 10, a builder may begin by placing an inside corner panel 14 or an outer corner panel 16 on a building's substructure 18. If the substructure is wooden, panels with under slung sheathing 26 may be used to cover the ends of the floor joist and seal plate. Additional panels 12, 14, 16 may then be installed to overlap at the interlocking vertical ends of the previously installed panels 12, 14, 16 with the bottom seal plate of each panel 12, 14, 16 resting on the existing sub-structure 18. Each panel 12, 14, 16 may be secured by nailing, screwing, or gluing at the overlaps and bottom plates.

It will be appreciated that the dimensions of the sheathing 24 and framing 22 may be adjusted to accommodate any building situation and any building code, including residential, commercial, office, sheds, metric-based, and foreign. The dimensions may also be adjusted to account for different ceiling heights, longer horizontal runs, and other structural requirements. Further, by changing the molding patterns, panels 12, 14, 16 may be fabricated for installation as roof, ceiling, or floor panels as well as interior or exterior walls panels, providing straight, square, and uniform studs 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D that are made from cheaper and more available material and with less labor. The panels 12, 14, 16 may also be fabricated with openings for doors and windows.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A prefabricated wall panel, comprising: a sheathing having a first edge parallel to a long dimension; and a plurality of spaced-apart molded studs secured to the sheathing parallel to the first edge of the sheathing with tops of the studs positioned below a top edge of the sheathing; the plurality of studs including an outer stud secured to the first edge of the sheathing and extending beyond the first edge by about one-half of the width of the outer stud.
 2. The prefabricated wall panel of claim 1, wherein the prefabricated wall panel is configured as an inside corner panel, the plurality of spaced-apart molded studs comprising: three studs positioned side by side at one end of the sheathing; and a fourth stud secured to the back of the sheathing and to the three studs, the fourth stud extending laterally away from an inside wall of the first sheathing at approximately 90 degrees.
 3. The prefabricated wall panel of claim 1, wherein the prefabricated wall panel is configured as an outside corner panel, the plurality of spaced-apart molded studs comprising: three studs positioned side by side at one end of the sheathing; and a fourth stud secured to the back of the sheathing and to the three studs, the fourth stud extending laterally away from an outside wall of the first sheathing at approximately 90 degrees.
 4. The prefabricated wall panel of claim 1, further comprising horizontal under slung sheathing secured to the bottoms of the studs.
 5. The prefabricated wall panel of claim 1, further comprising designs embossed in exposed surfaces of the sheathing.
 6. The prefabricated wall panel of claim 1, the sheathing comprising a material selected from the group consisting of a composite flake board, a plywood, a laminated product, and a molded product.
 7. A prefabricated structural wall system, comprising: a straight wall panel comprising: a first sheathing having a first edge parallel to a long dimension; and a set of spaced-apart molded first studs secured to the first sheathing parallel to the first edge of the first sheathing with tops of the first studs positioned below a top edge of the first sheathing; the plurality of first studs including an outer stud secured to the first edge of the first sheathing and extending beyond the first edge by about one-half of the width of the outer stud; an inside corner panel, comprising: a second sheathing having a first edge parallel to a long dimension; and a set of spaced-apart molded second studs secured to the second sheathing parallel to the first edge of the second sheathing with tops of the second studs positioned below a top edge of the second sheathing, including three studs positioned side by side at one end of the second sheathing and a fourth stud secured to the back of the second sheathing and to the three studs, the fourth stud extending laterally away from an inside wall of the second sheathing at approximately 90 degrees; and an outside corner panel, comprising: a third sheathing having a first edge parallel to a long dimension; and a set of spaced-apart molded third studs secured to the third sheathing parallel to the first edge of the third sheathing with tops of the third studs positioned below a top edge of the third sheathing, including three studs positioned side by side at one end of the third sheathing and a fourth stud secured to the back of the third sheathing and to the three studs, the fourth stud extending laterally away from an outside wall of the third sheathing at approximately 90 degrees.
 8. The prefabricated wall system of claim 7, further comprising horizontal under slung sheathing secured to the bottoms of the sets of first, second, and third studs.
 9. The prefabricated wall system of claim 7, further comprising designs embossed in exposed surfaces of the first, second, and third sheathing.
 10. The prefabricated wall system of claim 7, the first, second, and third sheathing comprising a material selected from the group consisting of a composite flake board, a plywood, a laminated product, and a molded product. 